Two way caster benches
A two-way caster bench comprises a front chair frame, a middle chair frame and a rear chair frame. The front chair frame is a U-shaped frame having a predetermined number of casters installed underneath, whose free ends are pivotally connected with the middle chair frame. The middle chair frame is composed of two U-shaped frames connected by a pair of connecting bars, with the free ends facing outwardly. One U-shaped frame is for a pivotal connection to the front chair frame, and another is for a pivotal connection to the rear chair frame. The rear chair frame is also a U-shaped frame having a predetermined number of casters installed underneath, the bottom of which is provided with a transverse bar for supporting the middle chair frame as it is folded toward the rear chair frame. Each of the chair frames is provided with a cushion.
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(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to two-way caster benches, and more particularly to a two-way caster bench that is easily convertible between a folded configuration for sitting and a flat configuration for lying and is freely movable on the ground.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Work-related chairs of the prior art are for facilitating working under unusual situations, such as the maintenance work under vehicles or machines. To fit into these situations, they are designed to be a flat bench. There is however another type of work-related chairs for people to step on. In this case, the chairs are design to be of an upright configuration. Since the conventional work-related chairs are either a lying bench or a stepping chair, a work place sometimes has to be provided with these two types of chairs, which wastes available workspace as well as increases the production cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a two-way caster bench that is convertible between a sitting configuration and a lying configuration. It is composed of a front chair frame, a middle chair frame and a rear chair frame. The front chair frame is a U-shaped frame having a predetermined number of casters installed underneath. The free ends of the U-shaped frame are pivotally connected with the middle chair frame. The middle chair frame is composed of two U-shaped frames connected by a pair of connecting bars, with the free ends facing outwardly. One U-shaped frame is for a pivotal connection to the front chair frame. Another U-shaped frame is for a pivotal connection to the rear chair frame. The rear chair frame is also a U-shaped frame having a predetermined number of casters installed underneath. The bottom of the U-shaped frame close to the free ends thereof is provided with a transverse bar for supporting the middle chair frame as the middle chair frame is folded toward the rear chair frame. Each of the chair frames is provided with a cushion.
The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a two-way caster bench, wherein a stopper is installed at each of the pivoting places between the front chair frame and the middle chair frame, so as to control the folding angle between the front chair frame and the middle chair frame.
It is a further objective of the present invention that a locating device is mounted on one of the pivoting places between the rear chair frame and the middle chair frame for locking the folded configuration, as defined by the middle chair frame being supported by the supporting bar of the rear chair frame. The locating device assures the safety of the two-way caster bench.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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The present invention can be used both as a common chair and a work chair for lying and sitting. It is particularly suitable for workplace where a variety of operational postures are in demand, such as lying, sitting and stepping. To form a lying configuration, the front chair frame 1, the middle chair frame 2 and the rear chair frame 3 are all leveled off, as shown in
Claims
1. A two-way caster bench comprising
- a front chair frame being a U-shaped frame having two casters installed on a bottom side thereof, a cushion being mounted on an upper side thereof;
- a middle chair frame including two U-shaped frames connected by a pair of connecting bars, said two U-shaped frames having free ends facing outwardly; and
- a rear chair frame being a U-shaped frame, a supporting bar being mounted underneath and connecting front portions of two lateral bars of said rear chair frame, a cushion being mounted on an upper side of said rear chair frame, four casters being installed on a bottom side of said rear chair frame;
- said two lateral bars of said front chair frame being inserted between and pivotally connected with the shorter one of said two U-shaped frames of said middle chair frame so that said front chair frame is foldable, said rear chair frame being pivotally connected with the longer one of said two U-shaped frames of said middle chair frame so that said middle chair frame is foldable, said middle chair frame being folded toward said rear chair frame so that said supporting bar of said rear chair frame supports against said lateral bars of said middle chair frame to maintain a sitting configuration.
2. The two-way caster bench of claim 1, wherein a first pivot hole goes through lateral sides of a free end of each of said lateral bars of said front chair frame; a second pivot hole goes through lateral sides of each of said lateral bars of said short U-shaped frame of said middle chair frame; a pivoting shaft is inserted through said first and second pivot holes on said lateral bars on each side to pivotally connect said front chair frame and said middle chair frame.
3. The two-way caster bench of claim 2, wherein a stopper is installed at each of said pivoting places between said front chair frame and said middle chair frame; said stopper is composed of an upper ring stop mounted in an upper rim portion around said first pivot hole on an outer face of a lateral bars of said front chair frame; a lower ring stop is mounted in a lower rim portion around said second pivot hole on an inner side of a lateral bar of said short U-shaped frame; said pivoting shaft is inserted through said first and second pivot holes to form a pivotal connection by which said upper ring stop and said lower ring stop may rotate with the folding to till terminal faces thereof collide.
4. The two-way caster bench of claim 1, wherein a middle section of said rear chair frame under said lateral bars is provided with a supporting plate in a direction selected from a transverse direction and an axial direction; at least one supporting plate is mounted onto a bottom side in a rear portion of said rear chair frame.
5. The two-way caster bench of claim 1, wherein a third pivot hole goes through lateral sides of each of said lateral bars of said rear chair frame; a fourth pivot hole goes through lateral sides of each of said lateral bars of said long U-shaped frame of said middle chair frame; a pivoting shaft is inserted through said third and fourth pivot holes on said lateral bars on each side to pivotally connect said rear chair frame and said middle chair frame.
6. The two-way caster bench of claim 5, wherein a locating device is installed at least one of said pivoting places between said rear chair frame and said middle chair frame; said locating device includes a first pin hole, a second pin hole, a locking ring and a locating pin; said first pin hole is located on a predetermined location near said fourth pivot hole on a lateral bar of said rear chair frame; said second pin hole is located on a predetermined location near said third pivot hole on a corresponding lateral bar of said long U-shaped frame; said locking ring is installed on a predetermined location on a bottom face of a lateral bar of said long U-shaped frame around said second pin hole thereon; said locating pin is inserted into said first pin hole and either of said second pin hole and said locking ring.
7. The two-way caster bench of claim 6, wherein said locating pin of said locating device comprises a pin, a fixing cap, a resilient component and a ring puller; said ring puller goes through a rear end of said pin; said resilient component is slipped on said pin and confined by said fixing cap that is screwed onto a front end of said pin.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 29, 2003
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2005
Patent Grant number: 6969077
Applicant: SHINN FU CORPORATION (Lu Chu Hsiang)
Inventor: Guang-Bin Liu (Tai-Shan City)
Application Number: 10/628,510